Hummingbird moth, Liverpool...

Was out in the garden tonight putting cloches over my sweet corn seedlings and saw this weird looking moth. I actually thought it was a bird at first and when I got closer I could see it was a moth but it looked and behaved like a hummingbird. I googled it when I got in and it was definitely a hummingbird moth. It had a really long proboscis. It was feeding on my salvia...it's just come into flower, bright pink flowers. I didn't have my phone with me but apparently they have good memories and often visit the same place each night....watch this space! I am so chuffed to see one, especially as I have read that they are mainly down the south of England (that may be wrong though lol...they are probably common as anything and I just haven't spotted them!)
The photo is just one I took from the internet...in case anyone wanted to know what I was talking about!

 

thank you! i always feel like such a plonker when i tell people i thought the one i saw was a bird at first lol never entered my mind it could be anything else....'till i went googling of course good to hear im not the only one

 

Wow well spotted...I'd love to see one

 

You just need to come to Wirral and across into North Wales, they're quite common! Their favourite plants for nectar are Lavender.

Also Watsonias and Crocosmias are perfect for their nectar extraction, just a shame Watsonia is not hardy away from the coast.

 

There are quite a few reports of them down here , I have only seen one so far. Not easy to capture on camera, video is better.

 

I had one in my garden about two weeks ago , I was too slow to get the camera out

 

I've seen just one in central Scotland. Fife to be exact. It was extremely confused by a lone streetlight in an industrial park. As I moved closer it'd float away, and when I leant back again it'd get back into position.. Hehe. Had some fun with that I gotta admit.